The Nation’s New Leading Man: Eddie Redmayne 's Rise from Burberry Model, to the Toast of Hollywood…

Written by
Amy Humphreys
•
Published 21st January 2015 • 2 minute read

Thanks to commendable performances in the likes of My Week with Marilyn, and Les Miserables Eddie Redmayne has been on a lot of people’s radars for a couple of years now. Let’s face it, the Burberry modelling campaign with Cara Delevingne definitely didn’t hurt either!!

However, over the last six months Eddie’s profile has rocketed, elevating him from humble, but clearly talented Brit star, to the talk of Hollywood.

So, what exactly is it about Eddie Redmayne that has captured the interest of directors, fellow actors and fans alike?

Well, first and foremost he is a PR dream! In my opinion, Eddie has crafted a unique media persona which makes it almost impossible for you not to warm to him. A classic combination of obvious yet unintimidating good looks, royal connections (having attended Eton with Prince William), and a ‘normal’ wife seem to have set him apart from his contemporaries and helped him to build a genuinely down-to-earth image that many leading actors struggle to pull off.

However, it is undoubtedly the recent promotional trail for his Oscar nominated new film, The Theory of Everything, which has catapulted Eddie into the spotlight even further and allowed fans to get a much better glimpse into his personal life thanks to a packed schedule of TV interviews.

I saw Eddie interviewed for the first time on the Graham Norton New Year special and was immediately struck by his refreshingly normal appearance. A far cry away from the overly slick, deflective interviews that many of his Hollywood friends give on a regular basis, Eddie was honest, warm and, actually, a tad cringey! But in my view this only enhanced his media profile and the ‘likeability’ factor that he carries in abundance.

From looking at an overview of Eddie’s career to date it is clear to see that he has worked very hard to reach his current position. Despite his privileged background it is obvious that he hasn’t had everything handed to him on a plate, and has had to wait until the ripe old age of 32 to reach international stardom.

Image Courtesy of etch road, flickr.com

It will be very interesting to see whether Eddie can sustain his position of Hollywood golden boy over the next year. Having already picked up the Golden Globes ‘Best Actor’ award earlier this month, Eddie has a hectic few weeks ahead as the media wait to see if he is also in line for Oscars, SAG, and BAFTA glory.

His recent portrayal of Professor Stephen Hawking has understandably got producers and directors clambering to offer him lucrative roles, and we can only hope that the increasing interest in our ‘Brit boy done good’ doesn’t have a negative impact on the grounded, slightly awkward and quirky characteristics that got him to this position in the first place. However, after seeing the trailer for the upcoming film Jupiter Ascending, in which he stars, I am not totally convinced that this will be the case…!